Customer Reviews

Preaching with Conviction (Preaching With Series)

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So What... or Whatever... is the typical response preachers receive from thorough-going postmoderns. Preaching with Conviction addresses this mindset in a positive practical way. For preachers who are tired of books that restrict them into a "three-points-and-a-poem" format or some new dummed-down story-telling approach that puts the oneness on the hearer to determine the application, Anderson strikes the correct balance between interest and authority. Anyone with an educational background will quickly observe that Anderson's approach incorporates Kohlb's experiential learning model, a concept that is lost on most other preachers. By connecting with the four major learning styles, Anderson's preaching method includes all segments of the audience. By maintaining a commitment to objective truth and the authority of Scripture he insures the integrity of the message. Although I would not categorize myself as a postmodern thinker and don't particularly need the story element of the text to be convinved, Anderson's gift for mystery is compelling and drew me in. The greatest value for me was the detailed charts and the material in the appendix concerning the integrative model of preaching. Anyone who sincerely desires to be an effective communicator today needs to understand and scrupulously apply the approach presented in this book.

It takes courage to wrap a manual on preaching to postmoderns in the mantle of a mystery story. Most attempts to merge genres like this end up sounding contrived on both ends. But - surprise - Anderson isn't half bad as a mystery writer. He's got good instincts and a compelling style. Even better, he's given us a clear window into the postmodern heart and a very practical way of reaching it with the message of the Bible. The story and the instruction flow together naturally, making his message an easy pill to swallow. I'd recommend this book highly as an adjunct to a textbook on preaching for all seminary students and pastors.